quiltmonkey Posted September 22, 2007 Report Share Posted September 22, 2007 Hi all, Friday, Sept. 21, I spent the day taking over the space in my employer's cafeteria (a large bright room) and we had many sewing machines and ironing boards going --- busy spending the day away making baby quilts and receiving blankets for one of our town's local United Way Agencies (Resource Center for Parents and Children). The little recieving blankets are for their "Cuddle Cure Class" where expecting moms & dads or those who have newborns learn to calm their baby down when everything else fails. Five steps are taught in the class 1) SWADDLE the newborn baby tightly; 2) Make a loud "SHHHHHH!" sound in the ear to emulate sounds in the womb; 3) Slightly SHAKE (rock/bounce) the baby; 4) Lay baby on its SIDE and 5) give baby something to SUCK on (bottle, pacifer, nipple). Those five steps that have an associated "S" word guarantee the child will relax and feel secure and will stop screaming its bloody head off. Anyway, it was fun learning about the Cuddle Cure Class and that the blankets will go to good use making babies and parents happy and calm. Here is a link to Dr. Harvey Karp's philosophy and specifics on the program: http://www.thehappiestbaby.com/ This is our 10th year doing this annual quilting project and each year we do something different for a local UW agency in town, sometimes Hospice or WIC or another group. My employer 100% supports this event by providing funds, time, feeding us lunch and espresso coffees and allowing its employees to volunteer their time. Throughout the day, my fellow coworkers dropped in when they had time...some for an hour or two; some for the entire day. I think overall we had close to 25 volunteers. Even the local TV stations come by each year to do a "good news" story for the project. For the past 5 years I have been organizing this project. It is pretty easy, I think, when you have so many people willing to help make it happen. Just in 1 day, I think we cranked out 60 of those blankets and we still have at least 60 in different states of completion...all of these were divided up an taken home Friday afternoon by the volunteers and they will finish them within the next two weeks. It truly is a rewarding experience for me. I am still on cloud 9. Oh, and top of this, we made approx 16 quilts for preemie babies. The backing fabric for the preemie quilts is this new fabric that just came out -- the only way to describe it is a cross between Minkee and flannel...oohhhh so sinfully soft!!!!!!!!!! Here are some pics of the event. This one is me at the machine showing some of the volunteers (my fellow coworkers) how to do the project. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted September 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2007 Here's another volunteer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted September 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2007 And another one... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted September 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2007 I love my coworkers. They are the BEST! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yeoldeforest Posted September 22, 2007 Report Share Posted September 22, 2007 Shana, It looks like you all had such a fun day! Must be really nice that your work supports your work! And...look at all of the wonderful baby quilts that were made! Thanks for sharing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted September 22, 2007 Report Share Posted September 22, 2007 It is so rewarding when you can help others like this...Way to go Lady for your devotion to this cause. Oh, I have to say I was a bit suprised not to see snow in the one picture....the parking lot shot behind the guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted September 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2007 LOL! Hey missy, just so ya know, we do not live in snow 365 days a year...really, truly, we do have the "four seasons" except ONE of the four seasons is a little longer than the others...LOL (and that certain season will soon be hitting us within a month's time). Oh goodie goodie...such fun to look forward to. (and that's why God made Mexico and Hawaii and warm sunny beaches elsewhere). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted September 22, 2007 Report Share Posted September 22, 2007 Oh, I know that....I was just wondering...Montana has had two dustings already and Reno has gotten 5inchs in the Sierra's so I just figured it was about time you got your first dusting as well. Although I should have known better.... There were times we would be colder at the ranch during the day or night than Fairbanks...and it wasn't winter yet. You should be going into the twilight soon, right. However I thought it was only two seasons....Snow and B52 bombers which we Lower 48 call Mosquitoes..:D:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted September 22, 2007 Report Share Posted September 22, 2007 Hi Shana, What a great project to do and so nice your employer encourages it. The room is very nice,too. It looks like you work in a wonderful place, both the building and your co-workers. BTW-What do you do there/ what type of business? Sandy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted September 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2007 Hi Bonnie, right now we are exactly at autumnal equininox so our days and nights are exactly 12 hours equal time, but (depending on how far north you are from the equater) we all are are gradually shifting to shorter days as we approach December 21, then the days start getting longer again. Right now WHERE I LIVE (Sept/Oct we are losing between 5 minutes a day; Later in Oct gets into losing 3-4 minutes a day; Nov drops to 2-3 minutes a day; Dec we lose 1 minute a day but it is all gradual and then it starts to days getting longer again after Dec. 21. Hey, we had a reprieve this summer and almost no B52 bombers outside! I think some sort of natural phenomenon ocurred that killed most of them off; no yellow jackets either! It was a fantastic sunny warm summer (with no bugs) here this year! :cool: Hey, and guessie what, Miss Bonnie! Exactly 1 week from today (Saturday) Andre & I will be on a jet plane to Boston and then driving up NewEngland over to Watertown to visit the folks. We are very excited and looking forward to this vacation and seeing the fall leaves turning! Not sure we will make it down to your area but I will let you know if we do, OK? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted September 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2007 Sandy, I work in the Pipeline Operations Department for Alyeska Pipeline Service Company; this company maintains operations of the Trans Alaska Pipeline. That big pipeline that moves all the oil from Prudhoe Bay in the Arctic Ocean to Valdez so the tankers can fill up and ship it down to California refineries. I have been working for Alyeska for 13 year. It is great place to work; the best job I've ever had! Super people, interesting projects, always something going on. Right now we are in the midst of a $300 million dollar project upgrading our pump stations to electric driven pumps and motors. So far we have one station running electric and we are about to get another one electric in about 2 months, then have two more...that takes us to 2010. It's always something going on! LOL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted September 22, 2007 Report Share Posted September 22, 2007 Shana, Thanks. Yep, I am familiar with the pipeline. I have driven from Valdez to Prudhoe Bay (over two trips to AK). I had to join an official tour to get to Prudhoe Bay, then we had a tour of the facility (very interesting) and then I flew back to Anchorage. While there, a guy named Alex who was on the tour (a company named Camp Alaska) from somewhere in England, dared me to jump into the ocean and get wet. We were so silly, daring each other, so we both did it. Totally wet! Totally cold! That was about 1996 or 1997, and was also the only time I was in Fairbanks. We went food shopping and stocked up on water and some supplies, then drove up the Haul Road, camping along the way. I have to say, the Brooks Range is so beautiful! I'm so glad I had the chance to see it. Take care, Sandy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted September 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2007 Hey! Some girlfriends and I also also joined "The Polar Bear Club" and jumped in the Arctic ocean back in the late 1980s. It was no big deal, really...jumping in was easy---getting back out when the wind chil factor got my pony tails frozen real quick! LOL!) I got right in a warm truck on the beach so it was no biggie. I worked in Prudhoe bay for almost 7 years 1988-1995...I worked all over the place up there (doing inside office work...I'm not one of those roustabouts that worked on the drilling rigs!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted September 22, 2007 Report Share Posted September 22, 2007 The wind chill wasn't bad in August:) I'm a wimp compared to what you did! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted September 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2007 I think I did my jump in the ocean in mid September -- it was either 1) do it now before the ice pack gets here or 2) wait till next summer...LOL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted September 22, 2007 Report Share Posted September 22, 2007 Speaking of the ice pack...in Nome they have a tradition of "planting" their used Christmas trees out in the ocean and calling it the Nome forest. We went out on our skiis to see the forest:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted September 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2007 That's a great way to recycle your Christmas trees... enjoy them through winter until they float away in the summer...lol! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted September 23, 2007 Report Share Posted September 23, 2007 It is so different than my day to day life in Philadelphia! I can't wait till February 22!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted September 23, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2007 It's like they always say......"there's no place like Nome." Can't wait to see you then, too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted September 23, 2007 Report Share Posted September 23, 2007 and...Nome is where the heart is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DB Posted September 23, 2007 Report Share Posted September 23, 2007 Hey Shana, I can't believe you're flying into my town next week! I was just in Alaska 4 weeks ago! I'm actually just south of Boston. If you get a chance or happen to be in N.H. you have to stop in at Keepsake quilting in Center Harbor, N.H. Great store, they also put out a great catalog. There are 5 quilt stores on Cape Cod in Mass. and multiple quilt stores near the N.H. and Vermont border. The leaves aren't really changing here yet, we haven't had a real frost to get them going. In fact today it was in the 80's, next week I think we are going to have the same. I saw some of those B52s when I was up visiting a few weeks ago. Some of them were so big I thought they should have names. One day I took my kids on a kayaking trip and the guide called them the state birds of Alaska. Let me know if you're planning to visit any quilt stores, what area you'll be in and I'll get you some names and addresses, just as you did for me. DB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheri Butler Posted September 23, 2007 Report Share Posted September 23, 2007 Shana, Why does it NOT surprise me that YOU give of yourself like that! How gracious of you to do this, and what a rewarding experience to be a part of it. The completion of all those blankies...how wonderful! Excellent job well done Shana! And you had fun to boot! What a bonus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted September 23, 2007 Report Share Posted September 23, 2007 Shana...and one more I remembered, "Nome sweet Nome." LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbWetzel Posted September 23, 2007 Report Share Posted September 23, 2007 Good work Shana... I am currently working for United Way of Central Iowa. Helping with the 2007 Campaign. I love United Way and the work that they do. I sent a quilt to the Denison, Iowa UPS Center and they are autioning it off with the proceeds all going to United Way. Each year I have sent a quilt up for their use. Keep up the good work. Barb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeannette Posted September 24, 2007 Report Share Posted September 24, 2007 This looks like great fun! I work in the oil business too. At a (the biggest in the world) Shell refinery at Pernis, Rotterdam. I am glad it is not as cold as it is in Alaska Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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